Progress in COVID-19 response should not be politicized

It has been almost 19 months since the COVID-19 pandemic inflicted its devastation on us. Swift and decisive actions in implementing strategic and evidence-based public health and social measures, including application of "test, trace and treat" strategies, with robust political governance proved valuable in initially limiting the transmission of COVID-19 and mitigating its impacts in global and regional communities.

Still, the virus, instead of being laid to rest, has adapted to become even stronger－as if having a resolve of its own to counter the progress against its spread by constant mutation. This has caused the rapid emergence of variants, which are more transmissible, more resistant to treatments or vaccines, and may be more severe clinically.

With all the progressive and positive multi-sectoral and multistakeholder cooperation and developments against this pandemic amid the omnipresence of challenges and threats, the entire discourse on the situation is far from health or social issues and interventions.

At all levels of social strata and socio-demographic dimensions in every region, country, and community, the whole pandemic threat and interventions against it have sadly been politicized or stigmatized. Public and social measures, including lockdown and vaccine rollouts, have been perceived to be politically motivated and to be offensive to the person's rights to self-preservation and freedom of choice, intermixed with a lot of conspiracy theories. These latter have not waned in spite of the evidence-based and science-based information, and results of medically and scientifically peer-reviewed studies and developments to respond to COVID-19.

Much more politicized and stigmatized are the discourses on the origins of COVID-19. At the onset of the spread of this novel coronavirus, politicization and stigmatization of this viral disease have been omnipresent. It has been more than a year, and rapid strides are being made in COVID-19 response, and yet the virus is still equated with a specific race, ancestry, culture or even a country. This whole scenario has even given rise to hate crimes.

To my mind, it is critical to assert that China and its populace are not the enemy. COVID-19 is the enemy. All stakeholders, including China, have collectively worked together in responding to the virus. It has constantly been said that no one is safe until everyone is safe. This is the adage for mutual trust and cooperation in addressing the impact of COVID-19. China has been cooperating with various countries and international organizations such as the World Health Organization in addressing this pandemic.

On the issue of the origins of COVID-19, the joint study on global origin-tracing with the WHO together with experts from countries aside from China－from January to February 2021－has assessed the likelihood that the possible pathways of the virus could be: direct zoonotic spillover, which is considered a possible to likely pathway; or introduction through an intermediate host, which is considered a likely to very likely pathway; or introduction through cold food chain products, which is considered a possible pathway; and the introduction through a laboratory incident, which is considered an extremely unlikely pathway.

If we base our collective efforts, such as the research and development of vaccines against COVID-19, on evidence-based and scientific processes and findings, then the origin-tracing study conducted by global experts should be perceived and understood in a similar way. Reflecting deeply on the loss of lives and sacrifices of a multitude of community members working together to resolve the consequences of COVID-19 should lead us in rectifying our intentions and focusing our energies on the essential matters in life during this pandemic. This essentiality is that all lives matter.

Definitely, further joint studies in origin-tracing are important, particularly through global collaboration and cooperation rather than accusations and finger-pointing. It should be done based on science and facts. Any politicization will undermine the whole purpose. It would also undermine the real intent of saving all lives. Again, the enemy is the virus.

It is truly more important to work together to end this pandemic. We don't have much time to waste, given that the pandemic is still raging in many parts of the world. We should prioritize all lives. We should not blame one race for this virus. Any political maneuvering or dispositions that directly contradict or affect saving all lives should not be used as a means of ending this pandemic.

With this point in mind, let us focus our efforts on studying the variants of COVID-19 and jointly undertake studies in responding to these variants with new evidence-based medications and treatment. In parallel, research and development of vaccines should continue to address the emerging health threats of these variants of COVID-19. Vaccination accessibility, affordability and confidence should be made more robust.

Vaccination remains our best hope but we need to make vaccines accessible and affordable, especially for the poor and vulnerable. All lives matter in this fight against COVID-19. China's greater efforts in sharing its vaccines from Sinovac and Sinopharm with the rest of the world, while also facing a monumental task of vaccinating more than a billion people of its own, are a true example of solidarity and friendship. Through our strong partnership in the fight against the pandemic, we'll emerge stronger together

The author is deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for Socio-Cultural Community.